APPENDIX Q Q. 1693 



without shelter To the cold mercy of a Montana winter. The lodges and Indian trap- 

 pings were burned, and with the captured ponies, 40 in number, Lieutenant Baldwin 

 reaches the cantonment four days later. During their march Eton the Missouri to tin* 

 Yellowstone the weather was most Bevere. Deep snow impeded the progress of the 



troops and the cold was intense the mercury sinking to more than 40° below zero. 



The total march ofthe command under Colonel -Miles is 430 miles. The march of 

 Lieutenant Baldw in from the time he was detached from the main command until lie 

 reached the cantonment is 328 miles. 



No itinerary was kept of Captain Snyder's or Captain Bennett's movement. 



WOLF MOUNTAINS EXPEDITION. 



Rumors were rife that a numher of hostile Indians were encamped somewhere to the 



south of the cantonment, hut just where could not he definitely ascertained. One 



night, however, a few Cheyenne Indians dashed in among the herd of cattle and drove 

 off 250, the trail leading up the valley of Tongue River. This was an opportunity not 

 to he lost to the military. The cattle were evidently intended for a large camp of 

 hostiles. suffering for the want of food, and in a country where game was scarce, the 

 exact location of which was not known. By following the trail ofthe cattle-thieves 

 we would probably soon reach their objective point. An expedition is hastily organ- 

 ized. Col. N. A. Miles commanding, ami consisting of portions of the Fifth and Twenty- 

 second Infantry, in all numbering about 200 men. The morning of the 29th of Decem- 

 ber, 1876, is cold and cheerless, the themometer indicates 30° helow zero. A hur- 

 den of snow covers the ground, rests on the spreading hranches of the trees that line 

 the river's hank, and wreathes every stem and hough with fairy festoons of the most ex- 

 quisite design. The train starts early from the cantonment, crosses Tongue River twice 

 on the ice. and after a march of 1H miles, crosses title river again just previous to making 

 camp at '2.05 p. m. The valley is well timbered with cotton wood along the line ofthe 

 day's march, and high sterile bluffs hem it in on either side. About 6 miles from the can- 

 tonment Tongue Buttes stand prominent among the surrounding bad lands on the east 

 bank of the river. The valley averages 1 mile in width, and underneath the snow- 

 good, nutritious hottom grass is found. The next days march takes us 17 miles farther 

 south, we pass the river ten times and experience no difficulty at any of the crossings 

 by reason of wagons breaking through the ice or the treacherous quicksands. One 

 mile from camp we reach and cross Four Horns Creek-. It was named by the Indians, 

 and is an eastern branch of Tongue River, small, winding, with cut hanks, no running 

 water, and hut little wood. A short distance farther on Pumpkin Creek is crossed. It 

 is one of the largest of the eastern branches of the river, with running water, grav- 

 elly hottom. ami low cut hanks. Breaking camp the next morning at 6.15, our route 

 lay nearly to the southwest through the valley of the river, which gradually widens 

 and crosses the latter four times. Small yellow pine is scattered here and there in the 

 bluffs, and the grass still continues good and plentiful. .January 1. 1877, we continue 

 onr march up the valley of Tongue River. The weather has moderated, and a tine 

 drizzling rain falls during the day. making the road poor and the progress slow. The 

 nature of the valley is gradually (hanging. The line of bluffs on either side draw- 

 nearer to each other and contract the valley, the grass of which is much less abun- 

 dant and nutritious. The soil is of little value : deep ravines are frequently met with, 

 and everywhere there is a rank growth of cactus and sage-brush. We cross the river 

 many times during the day, and just lie tore reaching camp our scouts, a short distance 

 in advance of the command, exchange a few shots with a small war party of Sioux 

 Indians. A skirmish-line is quickly thrown across the valley and on the high com- 

 manding bluffs to our right. Everything is made ready for a light, hut in vain, for 

 soon the Indians are seen on the ridge crossing the river, at least '2 miles away and 

 fast increasing the distance between us. It is useless to pursue them, for we have no 

 cavalry. In the morning our course leads us a short distance away from the river 

 where the rugged, precipitous hills and deeparroyos delay the progress of the train. 

 The nature of the valley is similar to that already described. We pas^ the site of 

 an old Indian camp and cross several small fresh trails, made probably by the Indians 

 we saw yesterday. 



Reaching the valley again, we cross the riverfour times, and in consequence of the 

 poor condition ofthe animals make camp after a short march of 5 miles. The next day, 

 January 3, we break camp at daylight, 6.30 a. m.. and continue up the valley. Scarcely 

 is the command out of sight of the camp of last night before fifteen or twenty Chey- 

 ennes swoop down from their place of concealment in the hlutfs close by the river and 

 succeed in killing one of the two soldiers left behind to scenic BOme of the cattle that 

 had strayed away during the night. At the noise of the tiring a company hasten to 

 their relief, hut arrive too late to he of service. Our course has been Dearly south to-day, 

 and. as in the previous day's march, high hills and deep ra\ ines retard the train. 



At 8 a. m. we pass Turtle Creek, named by the Indians. It is a small stream flow- 

 ing from the east, and winds among the pine-covered hills as tar as can be seen. At 



